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Rep. Ritchie Torres says he plans to introduce the Power To The Players Act, a bill that would direct the FTC to set rules protecting video game ownership. The proposal would address expiring digital licenses and require games with online features to retain working offline modes after server shutdowns. It has not yet been formally introduced, and its sponsors and path through Congress are unknown.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, says he plans to introduce the Power To The Players Act, legislation that would direct the Federal Trade Commission to create rules protecting video game buyers’ ownership rights. The proposal would address digital licenses that companies can revoke and require games with online features to retain working offline modes after their servers close.
Torres described the proposal in an interview with Kotaku and in a press release. Under its broad outline, companies selling digital games would have to provide more than a license that could expire, while games that rely on online services would need to remain playable offline after support ends. The available source does not provide the bill text, so specific definitions, exceptions and enforcement details have not been established.
The announcement comes amid concern over the lifespan of games sold as ongoing online services. Kotaku reported that NBA 2K25, the fifth best-selling U.S. game of 2024, is scheduled to be delisted from digital stores on October 30, with its online servers set to close on January 1, 2027. The shutdown is expected to remove access to its most popular modes. That example illustrates the issue Torres says he wants legislation to address, but the proposal’s potential effect on any particular title would depend on the eventual bill and regulations.
Torres has not said whether the bill will have cosponsors or whether members of the other party will support it. Before it could become law, the measure would need to be formally introduced and move through the congressional process, including committee consideration. No committee schedule or vote has been announced.
What the Proposal Would Change
The proposal targets a gap between how consumers may understand a game purchase and how digital products can be sold under license terms. If Congress enacted rules along the lines Torres described, buyers could gain stronger protections against losing access solely because a publisher ends support or withdraws a license. The offline-play requirement could also preserve some use of games after online services are discontinued.
That matters as more games are distributed digitally and some titles depend on company-run servers for core features. Players may pay a full retail price but have limited control over access if a game is delisted or its servers shut down. Torres framed the proposal as an affordability issue, arguing that consumers should retain value from purchases. Whether the bill would change current practices is not yet knowable: its wording and eventual regulations will determine which games and sales are covered.
The measure is focused on video games, not digital movies or music, according to the report. Torres said he hopes the bill could set a precedent for other digital media, but that is an aspiration, not an effect specified in the proposal as described.
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The Debate Over Digital Games
Torres’s announcement follows a wider campaign for rules addressing games that become unplayable when publishers stop operating them. The advocacy group Stop Killing Games has called on companies to avoid selling titles that can be rendered entirely inaccessible when online support ends. The debate also touches on whether purchases that are delivered digitally offer the same lasting access consumers expect from physical copies.
Torres told Kotaku he grew up playing franchises including Grand Theft Auto, Resident Evil and SOCOM, though he said he did not buy NBA 2K25. He characterized his proposal not as a radical change but as a return to what he called the historical norm of buying and playing games. That is his argument for the bill; the proposal would still need congressional approval and detailed rules before it could create legal requirements.
“I think there should be a simple rule: if you pay for it, you own it.”
— Rep. Ritchie Torres, speaking to Kotaku
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Bill Text and Support Remain Unknown
The announcement outlines the bill’s goals, but the legislation has not yet been formally introduced. The source provides no draft text explaining what counts as ownership, which digital sales would be covered, how offline play would be assessed or what exceptions might apply. It is also unclear how the FTC would enforce rules or how publishers might respond.
Torres did not identify any cosponsors or confirm support from Republican lawmakers. The proposal’s prospects are uncertain; it must first enter the legislative process, and no committee hearing or vote has been scheduled. The details of NBA 2K25’s shutdown are reported by Kotaku, while the bill’s eventual effect on that game cannot be determined from the announcement alone.
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Formal Introduction Is the Next Step
Torres’s office would need to formally introduce the Power To The Players Act before its text and sponsors can be assessed. If introduced, the bill would proceed through Congress, starting with referral and committee consideration. No timetable for introduction, hearings or a vote is available in the source material.
Key developments to watch include publication of the bill text, the addition of cosponsors and any response from the FTC or game publishers. Those details would clarify which games and transactions the proposal covers and whether it has a viable path forward. Until then, the announcement signals Torres’s intent, not a change in existing game ownership rules.
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Key Questions
What is the Power To The Players Act?
It is legislation Rep. Ritchie Torres says he plans to introduce. As described, it would direct the FTC to create rules protecting video game ownership and require offline functionality for games with online features after servers shut down.
Has the bill been introduced or passed?
Not according to the source material. Torres has announced plans to introduce it, but it still needs to be formally filed and would then have to pass through Congress before it could become law.
Would the proposal apply to NBA 2K25?
The announcement does not establish whether the bill would apply to NBA 2K25 or any specific existing game. The final text and any regulations would determine what titles and sales are covered.
Would the bill cover movies or music?
The proposal described by Torres focuses on video games. He said it could set a precedent for other digital media, but the announced bill does not include movies or music.
Source: fediverse
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